Examine this opinion article from Evil HR Lady Suzanne Lucas on why election day should not be a national holiday. I feel the commenter's central thesis is that there are way more Dems in the US then Repubels. Thats not to say no one has tried. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. [25], According to the AFL-CIO, 30 states require employers to allow employees time off for voting. Election Day National Holiday Top 3 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org Could that ever happen in the U.S.? They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. 3. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Low 38F. And even if elections arent routine in the age of Donald Trump, its a nice option to have. A National Marshall is an attorney in Washington and Okun is a corporate strategic advisor in Singapore for McLarty Associates. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? What America needs isnt more voters. Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard Because Saturday and Sunday are Sabbath days for devout Jews and Christians, elections would probably have to be held over the two-day period creating a need for more poll workers and a process for securing ballots overnight, Victoria Shineman, a University of Pittsburgh political science professor, wrote in The Washington Post. Election Day be a National Holiday in the U.S Making weekday elections a national holiday is a popular idea that would align the US with other countries. Lets assume there wont be an election holiday anytime soon not until Democrats control both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. And there is no better way to secure democracy than to ensure that everyone has not only the right to vote, but also the meaningful opportunity to cast their ballots. This article was published on October 1, 2020, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Governments are required to Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. Automatic Voter Registration The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates, Election Day in the United States has occurred on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November ever since President John Tyler signed an 1845 law establishing a specific voting day for the entire country. Automatic voter registration, same-day registration, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, restoring voting rights to former felons, improved civics education, and voter outreach would all improve participation. Why Isn't Election Day A National Holiday In The United States? If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. Please make a gift today. While some states have made Election Day a civic holiday (though it primarily applies to public workers) and most have laws that require companies to give employees some time off to vote, none of the legislative efforts to enact these changes on a national level have been successful. If not, youre out. It needs better voters, people who have some vague notion of what theyre voting for or against, not just people practicing identity politics or voting with their political tribe. So, no, please dont make Election Day a holiday. Election Day Holiday., For purposes of any law relating to Federal employment, the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter shall be treated in the same manner as a legal public holiday described in section 6103 of title 5, United States Code., It is the sense of Congress that private employers in the United States should give their employees a day off on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November in 2020 and each even-numbered year thereafter to enable the employees to cast votes in the elections held on that day., Leave it to a House bill-writer to use 98 words when eight will suffice: Were giving you the day off to vote.. Who wants more of the people who think professional wrestling is real or that 9/11 was an inside job to help pick the next president? National Election Day would make a 13th and it would only be observed once every four years and would help ensure voters could avoid the stresses of time constraints and other factors that hinder their ability to vote. Winds light and variable. In 1845, when Congress established a national election day, it had to be a Tuesday because farmers went to church on Sunday, went to market on Wednesday, and may have needed a day, Monday, to get to their polling place, Gil Troy an American presidential historian and McGill University professor told HuffPost. Its time to make voting harder. Approximately two million people who work Pros and Cons This comes with complications that non-blue states might not like like allowing provisional ballots to be counted, a vote-counting that can be painfully slow (it takes California over a month to certify statewide election results). 13 . Promotion of new political ideas. Make Election Day a federal holiday. That nations turnout in 2017s national election was only 46%(you want to get the Swiss fired up, put a contentious idea in front of them a vote vote tojoin the EEA in 1992brought out 79%; the 2016 vote todeport foreign criminals, 63%). [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. Mallory McMorrow (@MalloryMcMorrow) February 3, 2021. Adding in a new national holiday isnt necessarily without The dream of busy voting booths is the goal of House Democratic legislation to make Election Day a [+] federal holiday. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg). This is a stressful, insecure time for many. The idea of combining Veterans Day with National Election Day has been brought up for debate, but that doesnt make much sense. National Election Day rolls around every four years and falls on the first Tuesday in November. One major reason: It comes down to tradition, Troy said. Yes, its true Americas voting age is lower than some other developed countries. The United States is out of step with the rest of the world: elections are held on weekends in 27 of the 36 OECD countries. The measure contains an election-reform bushelful of liberal chestnuts same-day voter registration, provisional ballots, poll worker recruitment and training. Others have suggested making Veterans Day (Nov. 11), which is already a paid national holiday, Election Day. All rights reserved. Virginia Gov. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Without this simple step toward turning out as many Americans as possible to vote, any reform will be incomplete. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? Cons: Private employers are not required to give their employees federal holidays anyways. If Election Day is a national holiday, would that mean the post office would be closed, she asked. In California, for example, theres now permanent voting by mail(voters can also go on line, after theyve submitted their ballot, to see if theyve been processed). And who would get squeezed by the holiday? [16]. While many countries hold national elections on holidays, Americans are at liberty to stay at home. Effectiveness depends on the region. Terms of Use | Online Privacy Policy, many sweeping changes she would like to see, the conspiracy fueled calls for election reform, On WDETs Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson. But if you must, then I insist we move the election to April 15, Tax Day, to remind everyone how much these elections cost. Postings about current events are fine, as long as there is a political science angle. It shouldnt all come down to just one day., Despite Olive Branch from Whitmer,GOPShowing No Interest in Cooperation in2021, A Michigan Reporters Harrowing Experience Inside Capitol DuringInsurrection, New Year Means New Democratic Majority on State SupremeCourt. Before that point, states could hold their presidential elections on any day within a certain 34-day window. While there are a lot of positives to creating a new national holiday, there are also some negatives. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Election Day could be made a federal holiday if a bill were passed by the House and Senate then signed into law by the president. If a right-wing cabal really is running a secret, suppress-the-vote operation, its the most inept conspiracy since Jussie Smollett and the Subway Sandwich Scam. Tina Barton, a Republican Rochester Hills City Clerk has a lot of those questions, and more. So, since this effort does not receive bipartisan support, it is difficult to enact.. In its last two presidential elections (2015 and 2010) turnout was 55% 5% less than the 2016 vote in the U.S. Switzerland also votes on weekends. Over 60 court cases reviewed the evidence and judgesappointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents alikereached the same conclusion: there was no compelling evidence of fraud. While making Election Day a national holiday or moving it to the weekend would by no means be a cure-all, it could be used in conjunction with other strategies like Election Day And that the reason why the Dems don't win more often is because of low voter turn-out because they can't afford to leave their jobs. Passing voting rights reform will be a crucial component of this response, as would making Election Day a national holiday. Political campaigns can help winning elections. We would put in place automatic voter registration, same-day registration, extended voting days, Election Day as a National Holiday, and other reforms, including mandatory voting (vote or pay a moderate fine) as practiced in Australia, Belgium, and much of Latin America, with a None of the Above option that would trigger a new election if it wins. Archived post. For example, Australia typically has a turnout in the 90 percent or more range, and other nations such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico achieve very high turnout via universal voting and time off for voting. Local View: Former Gov. But one idea that could get support and pushback from both sides of the aisle is making Election Day a state holiday. Again, it is not clear that this is demonstrably true but it is a widespread perception. The decision was made taking into account farmers, a large portion of the voting constituency at the time, who would not have been able to travel to polling places in winter months or during planting or harvest times. Would you have to pay all levels of election workers holiday pay, which would make administering elections more expensive? Protections for individuals with disabilities: The bill would address some of the biggest challenges to voting access that Americans with disabilities face. 14, 2019, BBC, "Singapore Election: Governing Party Secure Decisive Win, bbc.com, Sep. 12, 2015, Holly Jackson, "It's Time to Make Election Day a Holiday in Law and Spirit," washingtonpost.com, Oct. 22, 2018, BCP Associates, "India Elections 2019 - Declaration of Paid Holiday on Polling Day, bcpassociates.com, Apr. But they never go far and die in committee without a vote. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. Proponents of automatic voter registration say the policy removes barriers to registration for eligible voters, a step toward increasing voter participation. When turnout is high, it becomes increasingly fruitless for politicians to play to their base in ways that allow a vocal minority to rule, which is how many American leaders currently operate. Sweden came second with 82.6%. However, making National Election Day a holiday will disadvantage low-income and blue-collar workers. Republicans and Democrats Move Further Apart in Views of Devin Gordon is a Tahlequah business owner. Okun's son is mentioned in this Top Issues for Voters. However, it wasnt until recently that the idea gained any traction in Congress. Last modified on October 1, 2020. an important step in ensuring the right to vote for all Americans and stabilizing democracy. "We do not have real political democracy, let alone economic democracy. Her ideas include requiring a statewide risk-limiting audit of an elections results before the state certification,giving clerks more time ahead of Election Day to process ballots and banning open carry of firearms within 100 feet of polling locations. Also, would a holiday mean limited public transit schedules, which might make it harder for some people to get to the polls?